Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes

"He [Harry Graham] is in the great tradition of Lear and Carroll and Gilbert and Belloc. At his best he easily ranks with any of these ." -Jeremy Nicholas, The Ruthless Rhymer, BBC
Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes (1898) is a book of short poems that are both witty and engagingly cruel, as only tongue-in-cheek humor can be. Many of the verses are just four lines and focus on a central character named Little Willie , who plays youthful, sadistic, pranks with benign indifference and other inappropriate responses. The Times of London described these poems as reflecting "that enchanted world where there are no values nor standards of conduct or feeling, and where the plainest sense is the plainest nonsense." Thanks to the author's satirical wit, his poetry is often compared to the writing of Edward Lear, Lewis Caroll, and W. S. Gilbert.
The perfect gift for adults who like to read for fun.

HARRY GRAHAM (1874-1936) is best known for his dark humor. Born Jocelyn Henry Clive 'Harry' Graham he was also a successful reporter who served in the British army and later wrote lyrics for musical theater and the opera. His popular fiction and light verse, such as Ruthless Rhymes, were written under the pseudonym Col. D. Streamer, refer to the military regiment he was still active in at the time of their publication.